Thursday, May 14, 2015

MESS = MAINTENANCE OF EQUAL SOCIAL STATUSMusings on the “Military Class System”ByVIKRAM KARVEOwing to the nature of their warfighting role – since ancient history – and right till the present day – military forces throughout the world are “class based” organisations.Hence – the“military class system” is still prevalent in Indian Armed Forces – and indeed this military class system exists in armed forces throughout the world.

Military Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force) have 2 classes:

1. Officers

and

2. PBOR (Personnel Below Officer Rank which includes Soldiers/Sailors/Airmen) – also called by other names like “enlisted men” etc.

(In the Indian Army – there is a peculiar class called Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) which is a colonial legacy of the British Raj – but since this article deals with Officers – this aspect is not quite relevant here)

All officers belong to one class.

That is why I was quite surprised to hear some Army Officers say that someone had proposed a bizarre idea to divide Officers into two classes (“Colonels and Below” & “Brigadiers and above”) and have separate Officers Messes for the two classes.

It is laughable that some top-brass feel that Colonels are “Junior” Officers – whereas in earlier days even Lieutenant Colonels were considered “Senior” Officers.

Maybe this is a result of devaluation of rank due to repeated Cadre Reviews, especially AVS 2006.

Hey – I have digressed.

We were talking about the bizarre idea of having separate Officers Messes for “Senior Officers” and “Junior Officers”.

This prompts me to delve into my “Humor in Uniform” archives and pull out this article I had written 5 years ago on “DEFINITION AND MEANING OF OFFICERS MESS (Maintenance of Equal Social Status)”

Read on – and do tell me if you agree with my views – or you think that my views are “antiquated gibberish” of an old fogey... Ha Ha ...

ARMY OFFICERS MESS and NAVY WARDROOMMAINTENANCE OF EQUAL SOCIAL STATUS – NO PLACE FOR VIP CULTURERamblings of a Navy VeteranByVIKRAM KARVEWARDROOMA few days ago – a young army officer asked me why a Navy Officers’ Mess is called a Wardroom.I had asked the same question to a senior naval officer long ago – in the 1970’s – when I joined the Navy.Here is the answer – the genesis of the term WARDROOM:

In the 18th Century, in the British Navy – warships had a large compartment called “WARDROBE”.

This compartment – the “Wardrobe” – was used for storing “prizes of war”, booty and valuables, plundered from foreign ships at sea and looted in conquests on shores of other countries.

The wardrobe was generally located near the officers’ accommodation (cabins).

When the wardrobe was empty, especially during the outward voyage, the officers began using this “wardrobe” compartment for dining and lounging, to have their meals and to congregate and pass time together.

As the days of plundering and looting ended – the wardrobe was used exclusively by officers as a lounge and for eating meals.

Gradually – the wardrobe became the officers’ mess and lounge, and having been elevated from a “closet” to a “room”, instead of “Ward Robe” it was now called the “Ward Room”.

That is why – in an Officers Mess – all members are equal – and all officers who are members of the mess have the same social status – irrespective of the ranks and positions they hold outside the Mess.

ALL MILITARY OFFICERS HAVE EQUAL SOCIAL STATUS

In the Army – there is a saying: “Rank Has Its Privileges”(RHIP).

But that is outside the Mess.

Yes – Rank may give you privileges outside the Officers Mess – but inside the Mess all Officers enjoy Equal Social Status.

Hence – all officers – especially the senior officers – must remember that RHIP operates outside the Mess or Wardroom.

Inside the Mess it is all about comradeship, friendship and fellowship and that is why all members enjoy equal social status.

Since all officers enjoy equal social status – there is no place for “VIP Culture” inside the Officers’ Mess.

FUNCTIONS OF AN OFFICERS MESS

An Officers’ Mess has 3 main functions:

1. It serves as a home for single officers (in-living members) where they live, eat and can entertain friends.

2. For married officers and their families, the officers mess serves as a social club where they can gather for moments of relaxation and recreation and bonhomie with fellow officers and their families. A good mess has many facilities for sports and pastimes.

3. For a ship or unit, the wardroom or officers mess is the centre of social life.

CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS

Each service has its own unique customs and traditions pertaining to wardrooms and officers messes.

In the Navy – the Captain is not a member of the ship’s wardroom and customarily the Captain messes separately.

The Captain or Admiral customarily enters the wardroom by invitation only.

The senior-most member of the mess on board a ship is designated PMC (President Mess Committee) and is the head of the wardroom.

The mess is a place for officers to let their hair down and relax in a cosy atmosphere and foster bonhomie.

While it is courteous to show respect in a subtle manner to your seniors, the disgusting spectacle of fawning upon senior officers or appearing obsequious needs to be avoided in an officers mess.

In an officers mess – there must be absolutely no tension due to rank-consciousness.

All members of the officers mess must interact freely and without inhibitions.

A good wardroom or officers mess has a stress-free happy high-spirited lively atmosphere which is conducive for promoting esprit de corps among officers.

There is a saying:

“A Happy Wardroom is a Happy Ship”

Maybe it is the same in the army and air force too –a happy officers’ mess indicates a happy unit.

This feudal mindset breeds a “VIP Culture” which manifests itself in various forms in military officers messes – there is separate luxurious “VIP” accommodation – separate extravagant food and exclusive booze for the so-called “VIPs” – who also tend to freeload – since – like “feudal lords”– some senior officers mistakenly think that freeloading in their birthright.

As I said earlier – all officers belong to the same class and enjoy equal status – so – at least in military officers messes – there is no place for such “VIP Culture” – and all officers – irrespective of rank – must eat the same food and enjoy the same facilities.

The next time you go to an Officers Mess – please do not forget that the abbreviation MESS stands for MAINTENANCE OF EQUAL SOCIAL STATUS

An Officers Mess is a happy place where you can forget about rank differences and interact freely and informally with your fellow officers.

I have had the best of times and made the best of friends in Navy Wardrooms and Army Officers Messes.

From time to time – I have been telling you about my glorious days in the Navy and I am sure you have read a few of those “humour in uniform” nostalgic yarns I keep writing right here in my blog.

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

About Me

A creative person with a zest for
life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated
at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School
Pune, Vikram has published two books:COCKTAILa collection of fiction short stories about relationships
(2011) andAPPETITE FOR A STROLLa
book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel, writing short fiction and compiling his memoirs. An avid
blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories, creative
non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, books, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories, self help and art of living essays in magazines and journals and published a number of professional research papers and reviews and edited in-house magazines and journals for many years, before the advent
of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to
creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse -
his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative
thoughts.